About 1148 B.C., the enemies of Israel came pouring into their country. Yahweh, the God of Israel, had brought the people of Israel into that promised land, but now the enemies they failed to exterminate arose to plunder their population. The invaders ruthlessly oppressed the people of Israel. We can study how God taught His people to triumph and gain blessings for our lives.

The Seeds of Triumphant Faith

Yahweh told Israel that they were suffering because they had committed great evil. In Judges 6:1, Page 398, Yahweh said that Isreal did “evil in the eyes of the LORD” (הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה). As we look at this indictment against Israel, we see first that God watched the behavior of His people. He knows how obedient we are and sin leads to consequences in our lives. In this case, the evil (הָרַע ) caused God to give the Israelites into the hand of their enemies, the Midianites, for seven years. The Midianites trace their ancestry to Abraham and his wife Keturah. They became a nomadic people, but the Israelites devastated the Midianites under the leadership of Moses. In Numbers 18, Page 248, Moses directed the warriors of Israel to burn the cities of the Midianites because the women of Midian, under the counsel of Balaam the evil prophet, had seduced Israel into idolatrous worship of false gods. During that campaign, the people of Israel killed tens of thousands of the Midianites, and enslaved their virgin females. They despoiled the Midianites of 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 virgin females (Numbers 31:32-35). Now, the Midianites had regained their strength and sought retribution.

Triumph Principle One: Inventory

When things in your life are really going lousy, check out your sinfulness. Take a spiritual inventory and see if you are suffering the consequences of sin. If you have a drug habit (like tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana or prescription drugs), then you can count upon trouble coming into your life. If you eat too much, and weigh too much, then you can count upon trouble coming from your evil. If you are having sex with someone you are not married to, then you can expect problems. As you insist upon doing what you want with your life, then count upon your sin producing terrible consequences. Take heart, though, because as soon as you decide to change your ways, then you can count upon Yahweh to help you remove evil from your life. If you have friends with serious problems, and serious sin, then start with their need to inventory their life and come to grips with their sin.

You may think that you can do whatever you want with your life because you have received the eternal forgiveness of Jesus Christ. You no longer take your sin seriously because you rest in the comfort of knowing your sins, one and all, have been forgiven. Think again because your sins still bring consequences in your life here and now. As a believer, you will be eternally secure, but as a human on earth, your sin will still produce consequences.

Let me add a word of caution. Not every bit of oppression you face arises from sin. So, do not conclude your friends have sinned just because someone is oppressing them. Instead, we must individually examine our lives and see if we have become sinful in our behavior causing the oppression.

Triumph Principle Two: Hand Control

I am often surprised how often I meet people who do not understand that every life has a spiritual dimension. You live under the spiritual control of God. Ultimately, His sovereign control guides all of your life. As a believer, Jesus has placed you into His hand, and the Father too has placed His hand around you, and no one is able to snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28-29, Page 1676). Even so, God permits you to experience some of the earthly consequences of your behavior. Yahweh uses the term “into the hand (בְּיַד) to describe the control the Midianites exercised over the people of God. In your case, when you fall into a pattern of sin, then you can expect that you will fall into the hand of people who will oppress you. In the ancient Hebrew world, the term “hand” described the power someone exercised over another. Sometimes drugs can also exercise that same type of power over a person.

In this case, the Israelites fell under the power of the Midianites. The people of Israel fled into dens in the mountains and caves and strongholds. The Midianites left no sheep, ox, or donkey to the Israelites. They and their camels came like clouds of locusts and devastated the land.

Triumph Principle Three: Listening to God

In the midst of this devastation, God started talking to the Israelites through a prophet. He brought a message that Yahweh had delivered the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt, and dispossessed the land of Canaan from before them. He commanded them not to fear the Amorites who had lived in the land before the Israelites. Yet, these Israelites had not obeyed Yahweh and so He gave them into the hand of the Midianites. Sometimes our lives seem to be overwhelmed with problems and people making our lives miserable. We see Midianites all around us. The place to start will always be to see if we are practicing evil before Yahweh and remove it by confession and seek cleansing from Yahweh. Next, we should be careful to listen to Yahweh. He will be speaking to us, and He wants to deliver us from spiritual bondage.

Faith Principle One: You Must Trust Yahweh’s Truth about You

The Bible has many verses that describe who you are, from God’s perspective. Yahweh often gave a new name to a man, just to emphasize how that man fit into God’s plans. In this case, the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, the father of Gideon, while Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press to hide it from the Midianites. The angel of the LORD spoke directly to Gideon: “The LORD is with you, valiant warrior.”

Gideon certainly did not think of himself as a valiant warrior. He saw himself as a man hiding in a wine vat to get some wheat to eat. Gideon learned a valuable lesson all at once. Yahweh speaks to people, sometimes when they least expect it. In the New Testament, we learn that Jesus abides with us all the time as believers, and the Holy Spirit continually indwells us. Yet, Gideon wanted more confirmation from Yahweh.

Faith Principle Two: Be Honest with Jesus

Gideon had the same response to a message from Yahweh that many people have today. Gideon could not see beyond the physical world of devastation to believe anything God was saying. The angel of Yahweh was talking with him, but Gideon could only hear the cries of the people of Israel in their distress.

Gideon was honest with the angel. He said, “if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” In this question, Gideon shows that he did not comprehend the principle that God brings consequences for evil behavior. Gideon had no understanding that God had delivered Israel and Gideon into the hand of the Midianites because of sin. Perhaps you have not yet realized that sin brings consequences.

Gideon had another question for the angel. “Where all the miracles?” He had heard about the LORD delivering the people from Israel, but now Gideon feels the LORD had abandoned the people of Israel. Maybe you feel that God has abandoned you, right in the middle of oppression.

Faith Principle Three: Count upon Jesus To Deliver You from Sinful Oppression

Instead of abandoning you right in the middle of your sin, God intends to restore you and remove the sin from your life. He started here with a new vision for Gideon when Yahweh called him “valiant warrior.” Now God listens to the questions of Gideon. Always bring your questions and doubt straight to Yahweh in prayer. You will never hide them from the omniscient God, so tell Him everything. But as you tell God, be careful to listen to His answer.

Are you facing enemies in God’s strength? Are you expecting God to help you or abandon you? Only when you understand the truth that God never wants to abandon you to sin, will you turn to Him for deliverance.

Faith Principle Four: Jesus Displays His Strength Through Your Faith

Yahweh said to Gideon: “Go in this your strength . . . .” Gideon’s strength lay in Yahweh and not in himself. By himself, Gideon hid in a wine vat trying to get some food. With God, Gideon became a valiant warrior. This relationship with the living God would utterly transform Gideon. Gideon had begun the process of listening to God, talking to God, and believing God. God, by faith, had become the strength of Gideon’s life.

Yahweh started the process of transformation in Gideon’s life by changing his thoughts. Instead of confirming that Gideon was a weakling, trying to eke out a living, Yahweh called Gideon a valiant warrior and told him to live in that strength. In our lives, God sees us as valiant warriors, and we wage war against oppression by faith alone. Faith activates the power of God in our lives by removing the confidence we place in ourselves and shifting that confidence to God working in us. We learn to believe God when He calls us valiant warrior, because we know in ourselves we would be hiding in a wine vat from the enemy, but with God’s strength we will be living as a valiant warrior.

Faith Principle Five: God Sends Deliverance through His Servants

Yahweh selected Gideon to deliver Israel from the oppression of Midian. Today He still selects people to lead other folks out of oppression. People rarely deliver themselves from sinful oppression, but God uses a friend, relative, or other spiritual servant to lead others out of sin. We need each other to bear burdens with us.

God commissioned Gideon to be deliver God’s people. Gideion understood from the beginning that God would do the deliverance, and he would be the instrument God used. Even so, Gideon had more questions for God. As he asks God about the ministry before him as God’s servant, Gideon had doubts about himself.

Gideon had no idea how he would deliver Israel. He asked: “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in the Manesseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” Gideon had not learned how God works, yet. But Gideon will learn that God does not choose people from the right family, of high social status. No, God can use even those lowly born and of no social privilege. You do not have to be somebody in order to become God’s servant. Always remember where Gideon started. From a human point of view, and from his own perspective, he had no idea why God would choose him to deliver all of Israel. So, instead of saying to God you have a low self-image, or lack personal power to do such a big job, please read the story of Gideon again. God delights in using people of no human power to display His full divine power. No one will be confused about where the power and deliverance came from.

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Ministry

Ministry

Welcome to Christ Assembly. As born-again believers, baptized by Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, we love to glorify God through the study and application of His Word, the Bible. As we study the Bible, we seek to know God better, and to introduce others to the loving salvation of Jesus Christ received by faith alone.

We value the spiritual gifts bestowed upon every born-again Christian and seek to equip them for the work of service for Christ Jesus. Only through every saint using the spiritual gift(s) bestowed upon them will the body of Jesus Christ reach spiritual maturity and avoid being blown about by every wind of doctrine. May God have all the glory, always.
HALLELUJAH !

Spiritual Help

Peace with God

People often ask me about how they can find spiritual peace. They tell me about their serious illness, divorce, drug addiction, alcoholism, and many other problems that grieve them. So many people share with me that they have never felt truly loved in their entire life, even though they have been married for decades, and have grandchildren. So many people feel a spiritual hunger and thirst within themselves. Jesus loves people and wants you to know all about His great love. He called it the greatest news anyone will ever hear. So, let me share with you about Jesus, Who loves you today. In Jesus, you can receive peace with God today. Jesus alone provides spiritual peace.

Romans 10:9

"Jesus asks you: 'Why should I let you into My heaven?'"

Let me start with a question. Imagine you were to die today, and stand before Jesus Christ. Imagine further that Jesus looked at you and asked: "Why should I let you into My heaven?"
Take a moment and think about what you would say to Jesus. I have personally asked that question to hundreds and hundreds of people, if not thousands, one person at a time. Jesus always deals personally with you. He knows your name, and loves you personally. Jesus knows your good points and your bad points.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

As God in the flesh, Jesus totally understands who we are as sinners. Sinners fall short of the glory of God. Sin separates us from spiritual peace with God today. In God's eyes, we all fall short of the glory of God. We do not act perfectly all of the time and so fall short of His glory. We tell lies, we think impure thoughts, we do things we know we should not have done. The road to peace with God starts with understanding that we all sin and we all fall short of the glory of God. As sinners, we tend to hide our sins in darkness, but Jesus helps us recognize that we are sinners and need to come into the light of God. We take the first steps down the path of peace with God by agreeing with God that we are sinners. God helps us walk down the path of peace with God by His divine power. Only by God's power can I change my mind and accept the truth that I am a sinner. I must repent of my sin and seek God's forgiveness for my sin. How do I find forgiveness?

Romans 6:23

"For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Jesus, the Son of God, offers forgiveness to sinners as a gift. In order to have peace with God, we must receive God's gift of forgiveness. Before we can grasp God's offer of forgiveness, we must understand God's justice and how it works. God tells us that justice imposes a penalty upon sin. God said that the wages of sin is death. Just as we earn wages for our work, so sin earns the wage of death. This spiritual death results from us sinning and falling short of the glory of God. God cannot remain just, and simply ignore our sin. Justice requires that every sin be paid by the death penalty. You have sinned so you deserve to die spiritually. Sin causes the spiritual death of the sinner. Now let us focus upon the gift of God: forgiveness. As a sinner, deserving death, I really do not deserve a gift of eternal life. Instead of death, God wants me to have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yet, my sin blocks me from having eternal life . To sinners God loves to give the free gift of eternal life. Although I have earned the death penalty by sinning, God offers me eternal life as a free Christmas gift. I cannot earn the gift of eternal life, and I do not deserve the gift of eternal life. God just wants me to have His gift of eternal life. God purchased the gift of eternal life, just for me, the sinner. Why would God give me gift of eternal life?

Romans 5:8

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

God gives the free gift of eternal life to sinners because God loves sinners like me. The road to peace with God means that I learn and accept that God loves sinners. Jesus came to love sinners. While I was a sinner, God loved me. So many people think that God hates sinners, but God tells us just the opposite right in this verse. I do not have to clean up my life before God will love me. God loves sinners. God gives the gift of eternal life to sinners, not to perfect people. You see, the gift of eternal life means that I believe that Jesus as God died for me on the cross. I recognize that I deserve the death penalty because I sinned, but Jesus took my place on the cross and died for all my sin. He satisfied God's justice by paying the death penalty for me. God now offers me a free gift of eternal life, because Jesus loves sinners, and gave His life to die on the cross to pay for all my sins. Jesus demonstrated God's love for sinners. How do I accept the free gift of God?

Romans 10:9

"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

You accept the free gift of God by confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. We believe that God told us the truth that we fall short of the glory of God because we are sinners. Wonderfully, God loves sinners just like me. God purchased the gift of eternal life for me. I reach out by faith alone to accept the free gift from God. I believe that God sent Jesus as God in the flesh to die for me on the cross. Jesus paid the death penalty for me. Jesus satisfied the justice of God. New life in Jesus Christ begins with faith and continues for eternity. You can accept the free gift of eternal life right now, no matter where you are. Pray this prayer of faith.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and fall short of the glory of God.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I deserve the death penalty. I repent of my sins.

Lord Jesus, I believe that You died on the cross in my place, because You loved me and paid the death penalty for me.

Lord Jesus, I confess you as Lord of my life.

Lord Jesus, I believe that God raised You from the dead. I accept right now Your gift of forgiveness for all my sins, and thank You for saving me.

Amen.

If you prayed that prayer in faith, please send me an email through the contact box below. I look forward to getting to know you and help you walk daily with Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives and makes us new creations. You have an abundant life in front of you, filled with joy and peace with God. We must learn from Jesus, and He is humble and gentle with us.